CSPI Staff

Senior Staff

Don Allen serves as Director of Finance. He brings to CSPI more than 20 years of finance and accounting experience, including more than 15 years working in the nonprofit sector. Most recently he served as vice president of finance and administration for MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership, and prior to that, served as director of finance for Common Cause. A Certified Public Accountant, Allen earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

Jessica Almy is CSPI's Senior Nutrition Policy Counsel and heads up the Healthy Checkout campaign. She joined CSPI in 2013 after working as an associate attorney at the public interest firm Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal, a wildlife advocate for The Humane Society of the United States, and a reporter for a daily newspaper. Jessica holds a J.D. from the New York University School of Law, a Masters in Animals and Public Policy from Tufts University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts from Gordon College.

Jorge Bach is Creative Director and Chief Designer for Nutrition Action Healthletter. He has worked in design and marketing for 14 years since earning his Associate's degree in Communication Arts from the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.

Dennis Bass retired as CSPI's deputy executive director in October 2012, a position he held since 1981. Bass' oversaw the marketing, direct mail, human resources, finance, technology, and circulation departments for the U.S. and Canada offices and was largely responsible for making Nutrition Action Healthletter the largest-circulation health newsletter in North America. He served on the board of the America's Charities federation where he worked to open the Combined Federal Campaign to advocacy groups, and has received three marketing industry awards. Prior to CSPI, he worked as a program director and lobbyist for the National League of Cities. He received his B.A. and J.D. degrees from Vanderbilt University.

Becker brings to CSPI considerable clinical and preventive nutrition, and health policy experience. She most recently served as the registered dietitian nutritionist for the Oregon Public Health Institute (OPHI) where she provided nutrition expertise in all aspects of OPHI’s advocacy work. She has served as chair of the Oregon Nutrition Policy Alliance (ONPA), and chair of ONPA’s School Food Policy Workgoup. Becker led efforts to pass menu labeling and school foods bills in Oregon, and the Oregon Academy of Nutrition named Nancy 2014 Outstanding Dietitian of the Year. She earned her Master of Science in Foods and Nutrition from Oregon State University, and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Science from the University of Wisconsin.

Debra Brink is Senior Manager of Production Services at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. She joined the CSPI staff in 1991, after several years at marketing agencies in the D.C. area. She has a B.A. in English from Allegheny College, in Meadville, PA.

Jeff Cronin is Director of Communications for CSPI. He is responsible for maintaining CSPI's high profile in the news media, for its web site, and for publicizing the group's reports, studies, and Nutrition Action Healthletter. Prior to joining CSPI in 2002, Cronin served as Press Secretary for Common Cause, the nonprofit government watchdog group. Before coming to Common Cause in 1995, Cronin worked in nonprofit fundraising and on a number of political campaigns at the presidential, congressional and state legislative levels. He received his degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Bill Dugan oversees CSPI's business operations including the online content publishing initiative at NutritionAction.com, marketing, direct mail, human resources, finance, technology, and circulation departments for the U.S. and Canada offices. With almost ten years of history working for CSPI in a variety of roles, Bill previously served as publisher of more than ten business newsletters—in print and online—on self-improvement topics such as leadership, communication, management, sales and marketing, customer service, business etiquette, and public speaking. A native of Boston, Mass., Dugan studied political science, Spanish, and applied statistics at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences for topics such as direct mail marketing, customer research strategies, online publishing tactics, and content marketing. Dugan also serves on the Board of Directors of the Specialized Information Publishers Foundation.

Jennifer brings a wide range of marketing experience including subscription marketing, list acquisition, copy-writing, data analysis and reporting, and budget management. Jennifer comes to CSPI after 16 years of service with Access Intelligence, a worldwide information and marketing company, where she began as an assistant marketing manager and left as a publisher. As publisher, Jennifer managed the marketing, editorial, production and sales teams for the aerospace group and the healthcare product line. Prior to that, Jennifer worked for the Washington Business Journal where her responsibilities included coordinating operations in circulation and marketing.

Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D., is co-founder and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a nonprofit health advocacy organization supported largely by the 850,000 subscribers to its Nutrition Action Healthletter. CSPI is a key player in battles against obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other health problems, using tactics ranging from education to legislation to litigation. Jacobson has written numerous books and reports, including Nutrition Scoreboard, Six Arguments for a Greener Diet, "Salt: the Forgotten Killer," and "Liquid Candy: How Soft Drinks are Harming Americans’ Health."

Gregory Jaffe is the Director of the Project on Biotechnology for CSPI. Jaffe came to CSPI after serving as a Trial Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice's Environmental and Natural Resources Division and as Senior Counsel with the U.S. EPA, Air Enforcement Division. He is a recognized international expert on agricultural biotechnology and biosafety, and has published numerous articles and reports on those topics. He has worked on biosafety regulatory issues in the U.S. and throughout the world, including the African countries of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mali, Ghana, Malawi, South Africa, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria. He was a member of the Secretary of Agriculture's Advisory Committee on Agricultural Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture from 2003-2008 and was reappointed to a new term in 2011. He was also a member of FDA’s Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee from 2004-2008. In addition, he has provided his biosafety expertise for projects involving the International Food Policy Research Institute, the World Bank, and the UNEP-GEF Biosafety Project. Jaffe earned his BA with High Honors from Wesleyan University in Biology and Government and then received a law degree from Harvard Law School.

Kats brings to CSPI considerable class action and complex litigation experience as a former partner of the boutique class action firm of Sprenger & Lang, PLLC, and Kator, Parks & Weiser, PLLC. Most recently, she originated and served as court-appointed class counsel in 23 class actions that collectively resulted in a $75 million class action settlement that resolved age discrimination claims by television writers, known as the TV Writers Age Discrimination Cases. She’s led or co-led numerous civil rights class actions, including against the FBI, NASA, Amtrak and other entities, resulting in significant multi-million financial settlements and substantial innovative programmatic relief. Kats earned a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, where she received multiple awards, and a B.A. in History and Chinese Studies from the University of Michigan.

Kelli Knox serves as CSPI's Deputy Director of Development, leading efforts to steward major gifts through the Partners for Nutrition Action program and estate gifts through the Benefactors for Nutrition Action program. Prior to joining CSPI in 2008, Kelli served as Development Associate at The Choral Arts Society of Washington, and Division Assistant (Music/Opera/Arts Education) at the National Endowment for the Arts. She holds a Bachelor of Music, Vocal Performance from James Madison University and Master of Arts, Arts Administration, from The Florida State University.

Lisa Y. Lefferts is senior scientist at CSPI and focuses primarily on food additives. She has written a book and many articles on food safety issues. Prior to CSPI, her work consulting for non-profit organizations took her around the world, conducting trainings, representing Consumers International at Codex Alimentarius, and participating in FAO/WHO expert consultations. She has done extensive work assessing "green" label claims on various products. She also served as a Senior Editor of Environmental Health News. She received her B.A. from Oberlin College in Biology and Environmental Studies, and a Masters of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Bonnie Liebman, CSPI's director of nutrition, has been with the organization since 1977. She holds an M.S. in nutritional sciences from Cornell University. Liebman has been the key link in formulating CSPI's policies on diet and health. She provides the scientific input on many of the organization's administrative petitions and legislative proposals. Liebman is the author of numerous articles on diet and cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other illnesses for Nutrition Action Healthletter and a co-author of Salt: The Brand Name Guide to Sodium. She also served on the advisory committees that issued the American Cancer Society's 2001 and 1996 Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention.

MacCleery brings to CSPI both legislative and regulatory experience, including nearly a decade of work with the consumer rights advocacy group Public Citizen. At Public Citizen, MacCleery was Deputy Director of the Auto Safety Group, and Director of Congress Watch. MacCleery worked on issues related to public health while at the Center for Reproductive Rights’ as Director of Government Relations, and, most recently, as National Nurses United’s Legislative Director. While a Deputy Director in the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, she taught a course on public interest legal advocacy, published a law review article on campaign finance reforms, and was active in state and federal litigation, including the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens United case.

McMeley brings to CSPI a range of direct marketing program experience, including campaign strategy development, data management and analysis, direct mail production management, and results analysis. Most recently, McMeley managed his own direct marketing consulting practice that served the nonprofit industry. Prior to that, he served as director of membership information management at The Nature Conservancy, as director of global marketing data and analysis for the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, and he held several positions at a database marketing agency.

Colleen O'Day is the Director of Human Resources and Administration at CSPI. She manages all human resources-related functions and oversees CSPI's administrative operations. Prior to joining CSPI in 2009, she served as Director of Human Resources at People for the American Way starting in 2005. Before that, O’Day held a variety of positions throughout her 18 years at Common Cause, including five years in the media relations office and 11 years as Director of Human Resources. O'Day earned a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Behavior and Management from Brown University.

Jim O’Hara, CSPI’s new Director of Health Promotion Policy, brings more than 35 years of experience as an award-winning reporter and editor, a senior federal public health official, and a national issues campaign manager. Jim’s public service experience includes serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Associate Commissioner for Public Affairs. O’Hara began his career writing and editing The Tennessean, where he was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in the public service category.

David W. Plunkett, JD, JM, is Senior Staff Attorney for the food safety program at CSPI. Prior to joining CSPI in August 2007, he served as Legislative Director and Counsel to U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon of Tennessee. He earned an undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and holds a Juris Master in public policy with an emphasis on law and economics, and a Juris Doctor with a specialty in regulatory law from George Mason School of Law. He is a member of the Virginia State Bar and the American Bar Association.

David Schardt is Senior Nutritionist at CSPI. Schardt has been writing about nutrition for the general public and for professionals for more than 25 years. His reports on nutrition and dietary supplements are featured in the monthly Nutrition Action Healthletter. In 1988, he helped to write and edit the landmark Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and Health. His book Eating Leaner and Lighter, published by Warner Books, was recommended for sensible nutrition by the USDA's Food and Nutrition Information Center. He has been featured on numerous television and radio programs and is widely quoted in the print media, especially on the subject of dietary supplements. David has graduate degrees in nutrition and biochemistry from Oregon State University and graduate study and research experience with Cornell University's Division of Nutritional Sciences.

Chris Schmidt has been with CSPI since 1991. He currently serves as the customer service manager. His primary responsibility is to coordinate and supervise the circulation, customer service and mailroom functions. He also supervises a staff of six employees.

Stephen Schmidt has been Editor-in-Chief of Nutrition Action Healthletter since 1988. From 1975 to 1980 he worked as a newspaper reporter in Central America. He holds a BA from Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont, and a Licenciatura in journalism (Summa Cum Laude) from the Universidad Autónoma de Centroamérica in San José, Costa Rica.

Lilia Smelkova is Campaign Manager for the Food Day campaign at CSPI. Prior to joining CSPI, Smelkova worked for Slow Food International in Italy for 10 years and initiated the Slow Food network in Eastern and Central Europe and Canada. She also worked on the core team that planned the first Terra Madre, a meeting of food communities from 150 countries. Smelkova holds a BA from Minsk Linguistics University in Belarus (she is fluent in Italian, Russian, English, French, and Spanish), a Master's in languages from Turin University in Italy, and a certificate in environmental management from UC Berkeley, where she co-authored a nutrition education study.

Caroline Smith DeWaal is the director of the food safety program at CSPI and co-author of Is Our Food Safe? A Consumer’s Guide to Protecting Your Health and the Environment (Three Rivers Press, 2002). She represents CSPI before Congress and in the regulatory arena on a broad range of food safety issues. DeWaal is the leading consumer analyst on laws and regulations governing food safety, and she has testified more than twenty times on pending food safety issues before the United States Congress. She has participated in a number of World Health Organization consultations on food safety and is currently an expert advisor on its Integrated Surveillance of Antibiotic Resistance project. She has also participated in several national advisory committees to USDA and FDA, and was recently selected as a member of the Food Safety Modernization Act Surveillance Working Group of the Office of Infectious Diseases, CDC Board of Scientific Counselors. She represents the International Association of Consumer Food Organizations at Codex Alimentarius. DeWaal graduated from the University of Vermont and Antioch School of Law. She has taught university courses on national and global food issues.

Kenneth Waldmiller has been the Director of Information Services of CSPI since 2000. He has been active in the field of computers and technology since 1984. He manages the Information Technology department and oversees the operations of the Customer Service department and Fulfillment operations. Ken is directly responsible for maintaining the subscriber database, printing, and the mailing of CSPI’s publication, Nutrition Action Healthletter, the largest-circulation health newsletter in North America. He also works with the direct mail and marketing departments to increase the newsletter's circulation and to member donations to CSPI. He received his B.S. in Computer Science from SUNY Brockport and his M.S in Computer Systems Management from University of Maryland University College.

Jane Welna, Deputy Director of Development, oversees foundation relations for CSPI's nutrition and food safety advocacy programs. Prior to joining CSPI in October 2001, she served as Director of Development at Downtown Community Television Center in New York City and Executive Director at the documentary photography cooperative Impact Visuals. Jane graduated from Carleton College with a degree in Art History.

Margo Wootan is the director of nutrition policy at CSPI. Wootan received her B.S. in nutrition from Cornell University and her doctorate in nutrition from Harvard University's School of Public Health. Wootan co-founded and coordinates the activities of the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA) and the Food Marketing Workgroup. She has coordinated and led efforts to require calorie labeling at fast-food and other chain restaurants, require trans fat labeling on packaged foods, improve school foods, reduce junk-food marketing aimed at children, and expand the nutrition and physical activity program at CDC. Wootan has received numerous awards and is quoted regularly in the nation's major media.